11 BAFTAS Nominations for 2 films

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE has received 11 BAFTA nominations in the following categories: Best Film, Outstanding British Film, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing, Music, Production Design and Sound.  Danny Boyle is nominated for Director, Dev Patel for Leading Actor and Freida Pinto receives a nomination as Supporting Actress. "I keep asking myself over and over again if I am dreaming. 11 BAFTA NOMINATIONS! The British sure have a unique and beautiful way of showing us their love and appreciation," said actress Frieda Pinto of India. "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" also got 11 nominations. Another favourite at the Oscars — "The Dark Knight" — managed eight BAFTA nods., writes Kathy Robinson for India-EU Film Initiative. Read the complete list of BAFTA Nominations for 2009 below.

"I am absolutely overwhelmed and delighted to have been nominated for a BAFTA for Best Actor. To be nominated alongside Brad Pitt, Mickey Rourke, Frank Langella and Sean Penn is unbelievably exciting and such a huge honour. I am so excited that Slumdog Millionaire has received 11 nominations and just thrilled to be a part of this film's amazing journey. Thank you so much to BAFTA," said actor DEV PATEL.

Dev Patel and Freida Pinto in Slumdog Millionaire"I keep asking myself over and over again if I am dreaming.  11 BAFTA NOMINATIONS! The British sure have a unique and beautiful way of showing us their love and appreciation. I am obviously more than thrilled to receive a nomination myself -albeit feeling a little unworthy to be put in the same category as Amy Adams, Penelope Cruz, Tilda Swinton and Marisa Tomei - actors who have inspired me to become an actor myself. Nonetheless I shall take this as the kindest compliment and I thank BAFTA deeply for this honour," said actress FREIDA PINTO

"Every film maker knows that the most difficult audience to impress is the home audience. Like strict, but loving parents, they know us too well to be fooled by artifice, trickery or excuses and see straight to the truth. So to get a BAFTA nomination is a genuine honour and pleasure. I am delighted."  Writer SIMON BEAUFOY

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE was No. 1 in the UK Box Office having taken £2,920,000 in its first six days of release.

The 11 BAFTA nominations for SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE follow four prestigious Golden Globe wins for Best Picture in the Drama category, Best Director for Danny Boyle, Best Screenplay for Simon Beaufoy and Best Original Score in a Motion Picture for composer A. R. Rahman.

Jonathan Ross will mark his return to broadcasting by hosting this year’s Baftas. The outspoken chatshow host will front the award ceremony next month, a fortnight after the BBC lifts his suspension over the Andrew Sachs lewd phone calls row. Bafta chairman David Parfitt dismissed fears that Ross would repeat his recent bad behaviour.
Critically acclaimed Hunger, has gained further recognition by receiving three BAFTA nominations in the following categories: Outstanding British Film, The Carl Foreman Award (for Special Achievement by a British Director, Writer or Producer for their First Feature Film): Steve McQueen, Orange Rising Star Award:  Michael Fassbender

Hunger has already received a host of outstanding awards to date, including the prestigious Caméra d’Or for best first feature at the Cannes Film Festival.

Written and directed by renowned British visual artist and filmmaker Steve McQueen, Hunger is a powerful and thought-provoking real-life portrayal of the 1981 Hunger Strike led by Bobby Sands in Northern Ireland’s Maze Prison.

BAFTA Nominations for 2009.

BEST FILM

* THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON – Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Ceán Chaffin
* FROST/NIXON – Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard
* MILK – Dan Jinks, Bruce Cohen
* THE READER – Anthony Minghella, Sydney Pollack, Donna Gigliotti, Redmond Morris
* SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE – Christian Colson

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM

* HUNGER – Laura Hastings-Smith, Robin Gutch, Steve McQueen, Enda Walsh
* IN BRUGES – Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin, Martin McDonagh
* MAMMA MIA! – Judy Craymer, Gary Goetzman, Phyllida Lloyd, Catherine Johnson
* MAN ON WIRE – Simon Chinn, James Marsh
* SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE – Christian Colson, Danny Boyle, Simon Beaufoy

THE CARL FOREMAN AWARD

for Special Achievement by a British Director, Writer or Producer for their First Feature Film

* SIMON CHINN (Producer) – Man On Wire
* JUDY CRAYMER (Producer) – Mamma Mia!
* GARTH JENNINGS (Writer) – Son of Rambow
* STEVE McQUEEN (Director/Writer) – Hunger
* SOLON PAPADOPOULOS, ROY BOULTER (Producers) – Of Time And The City

DIRECTOR

* CHANGELING – Clint Eastwood
* THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON – David Fincher
* FROST/NIXON – Ron Howard
* THE READER – Stephen Daldry
* SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE – Danny Boyle

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

* BURN AFTER READING – Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
* CHANGELING – J. Michael Straczynski
* I’VE LOVED YOU SO LONG – Philippe Claudel
* IN BRUGES – Martin McDonagh
* MILK – Dustin Lance Black

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

* THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON – Eric Roth
* FROST/NIXON – Peter Morgan
* THE READER – David Hare
* REVOLUTIONARY ROAD – Justin Haythe
* SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE – Simon Beaufoy

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

* THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX – Bernard Eichinger, Uli Edel
* GOMORRAH – Domenico Procacci, Matteo Garrone
* I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG – Yves Marmion, Philippe Claudel
* PERSEPOLIS – Marc-Antoine Robert, Xavier Rigault, Marjane Satrapi, Vincent Parannaud
* WALTZ WITH BASHIR – Serge Lalou, Gerhard Meixner, Yael Nahl Ieli, Ari Folman

ANIMATED FILM

* PERSEPOLIS – Marjane Satrapi, Vincent Parannaud
* WALL•E – Andrew Stanton
* WALTZ WITH BASHIR – Ari Folman

LEADING ACTOR

* FRANK LANGELLA – Frost/Nixon
* DEV PATEL – Slumdog Millionaire
* SEAN PENN – Milk
* BRAD PITT – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
* MICKEY ROURKE – The Wrestler

LEADING ACTRESS

* ANGELINA JOLIE – Changeling
* KRISTIN SCOTT THOMAS – I’ve Loved You So Long
* MERYL STREEP – Doubt
* KATE WINSLET – The Reader
* KATE WINSLET – Revolutionary Road

SUPPORTING ACTOR

* ROBERT DOWNEY JR. – Tropic Thunder
* BRENDAN GLEESON – In Bruges
* PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN – Doubt
* HEATH LEDGER – The Dark Knight
* BRAD PITT – Burn After Reading

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

* AMY ADAMS – Doubt
* PENÉLOPE CRUZ – Vicky Cristina Barcelona
* FREIDA PINTO – Slumdog Millionaire
* TILDA SWINTON – Burn After Reading
* MARISA TOMEI – The Wrestler